Dibenzo[b,f]oxepin‐10(11H)‐one and dibenzo[b,f]thiepin‐10(11H)‐one as useful synthons in the synthesis of various dibenzo[e,h]azulenes

The present review focuses on dibenzo[b,f]oxepin‐10(11H)‐one ( I , X = O) and dibenzo[b,f]thiepin‐10(11H)‐one ( I , X = S) as common synthons in the efficient synthesis of various dibenzoxepino[4,5‐ and dibenzothiepino[4,5]‐fused five‐membered heterocycles: [2,3] fused thiophene ( II ), [3,4] fused thiophene ( III ), furan ( IV ), pyrrole ( V ), imidazole ( VI ), pyrazole ( VII ), oxazole ( VIII ), and thiazole ( IX ). The potential of I to be converted into reactive intermediates that readily undergo heteroaromatic annulation reactions by cyclocondensation with proper binucleophiles allows formation of a range of enumerated functionalized dibenzo[e,h]azulene [4] structures ( II , III , IV , V , VI , VII , VIII , IX ). Dibenzo[e,h]azulenes as heterotetracyclic scaffold can be exploited in further modifications to obtain compounds with altered physicochemical and biological profile. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2012).